


Révérence

by cardiac_arrest



Series: Dancing's Not a Crime [3]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ballet, Fluff, M/M, willy and kap are still like That
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-24 05:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18565273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cardiac_arrest/pseuds/cardiac_arrest
Summary: The smile on Auston’s face grows bigger as he thinks about the beautiful lines of Mitch’s body as he dances. The taut, corded muscles of his back as he stretches into a pirouette. The elegance of his arms as he poses and jumps. The glittering expressions that exploits the full use of his eyelashes.Auston might have a thing for Mitch’s ballet. A big thing that started from the minute he laid eyes on Mitch. Well, he thinks, maybe it’s just a Mitch thing.





	Révérence

**Author's Note:**

> alrighttt few orders of business to get to.
> 
> 1\. this fic is part of a series, so it probably wont make sense unless you read the first two fics.  
> 2\. suggested music listening, the song mo likes: [pas de deux by samuel barber](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWNbrXLugFI)  
> 3\. suggested viewing, black swan pas de deux: [entree+adage](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p21n1xorjEs),[coda](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfmSv0z205s)
> 
> man i hope these hyperlinks work

Mitch is heaving as he finishes the last of the coda from the Black Swan _pas de deux_ in rehearsal. He’s thankful to have finally broken the first soloist seal a few years back. With only a week to go before his debut as Odile in Swan Lake, he can hardly believe how far he’s come. He remembers the days where he used to be in awe at how effortlessly thirty  _ fouettés _ could be done. And now, he’s here doing them.

 

He’s tired, as he always is after the energy-sapping coda, but there’s a sense of pride underlying all of it. 

 

He  _ is _ a soloist. Playing one of the major female roles in a well-known ballet. He would be overwhelmed, if it wasn’t for how much he’s wanted this since he was young. This year, the National Ballet decided on having the character changed to a man, so Mitch is wearing tights. But next year, they might put Mitch in a dress if he still plays the same character. He’s consented to it; he doesn’t mind. 

 

The one downfall to the whole thing is not being able to dance with Auston. Auston has quite a range of roles in his repertoires, with one of them being the Prince from Swan Lake. But, as usual, he’s playing the Nutcracker again. So he isn’t dancing in Swan Lake. Which mean it's a no on the Mitch and Auston _pas de deux._

 

But it’s fine, because Mitch has the opportunity to showcase his skill and ‘talent’ and earn his spot into a principal role. Mitch could almost taste the success on his tongue, the flavour of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup all mixed together. Damn, now he wanted ice cream.

 

He shakes the thought off, focusing on Babs in the front of the room correcting his Mitch's dancing. It’s only a few minor things about Mitch’s expressions; he has to look more cunning and deceptive, more like he’s seducing someone with how energetic and beautiful his dancing is. Mitch nods in response, listening as Babs keeps going about how  _ John Tavares _ needs to spin Mitch in a more natural manner. John. Tavares. The god of ballet originally from Ontario who settled in New York but came back for the NBC. 

 

Mitch is dancing with  _ John Tavares. _ It took a full day for him and Willy to stop freaking out about it, with Willy performing the role of the White Swan and also getting to dance with him. 

 

“When you spin Mitchy here, you want to do it with enough support that Mitch doesn’t have to do too much work. He just finished doing thirty _pirouettes_ or so, and that’s tiring. We don’t want him to look exhausted,” Babs says, directing his attention on JT.

 

John nods, looking very very serious as he catches his breath while still on his knees next to Mitch. His hand is still being held by JT, so he shakes it out gently. Babs waves Mitch off, letting him rest as he focuses on John for the moment. Mitch retreats to the side wings of their spacious rehearsal room to stand with Willy. He offers him his water bottle. Mitch takes it with a thankful smile. 

 

“Fuck, my feet are sore,” Mitch says, gulping down fresh, cool water. 

 

Willy makes a non-committal noise. Mitch looks over and scowls. Willy’s gaze is focused all the way across the room, where Kappy is. The two are blatantly flirting, making numerous hand gestures that are way too inappropriate for a professional, rehearsal setting. It’s really gross to see, because Willy looks like he has actual hearts in his eyes and Kappy looks like his mouth is going to fall off from how hard he’s smiling. 

 

“Why do you guys always look like you’re going to jump each other when it’s been, like, four years?” 

 

Willy sighs wistfully, giggling a little as Kappy blows him a kiss, “he’s just so hot, you know?”

 

“You guys are going to make me puke. Babs is going to kill you.”

 

Will scoffs, “speak for yourself, Mitchy. If we get Auston in here, you guys wouldn’t stop eye-fucking.” 

 

Mitch pushes Will a little and pretends to flex his feet a little, testing his pointe shoes. 

 

Willy finally takes his eyes off of Kappy and glares at Mitch. 

 

“I wish I could’ve been in Nutcracker again,” Willy says reminiscently. 

 

Mitch laughs, “why?”

 

“So I could dance with Kasu again,” Willy whines, scrunching up his face. He looks appropriately depressed.

 

Mitch sighs and wraps an arm around Willy, shaking his head at the confused look Kappy gives him from across the room. 

 

“You and me both,” Mitch says, looking at JT nodding at Babs. 

 

Willy tenses and stares at Mitch weirdly. “You want to dance with Kappy?”

 

“No, dumbass, I want to dance with  _ Auston.” _

 

A look of understanding passes over Willy’s face. “Don’t worry, mouse, you’ll get there soon.” 

 

Mitch pouts. He doesn’t want soon. He wants  _ now. _

 

The last few minutes of rehearsal go okay. His feet still hurt and he’s sweaty everywhere, but Willy got most of the brunt of Babs’s admonishing so Mitch is happy. With the debut of this season’s Swan Lake being so soon, everything Babs says is mostly nit-picky. Everyone has the steps down, knows how to convey emotion, and has their own interpretation of their character figured out. 

 

Mitch kind of wants a different role; Odile is too mean for him. Too evil. He wants to be gentle and kind, not pretending to be looking for ways to benefit himself and be selfish. He gets it though, the directors think he’s good at  _ pirouettes  _ and  _ fouettés _ —something Willy would  _ hate _ to have to do that many in a row. The only thing that would’ve made Mitch more enthusiastic if Auston was playing Prince Siegfried. 

 

If only Mitch was a principal dancer. 

 

He huffs to himself as Babs dismisses everyone for the rehearsal. 

 

“Do you guys want to stay behind?” Mitch asks Willy and Kappy. He wants to work on his technique and really fine-tune it so he shines next Friday. 

 

“I dunno Mitchy,” Willy hums. “Kappy lost a bet. So.” Willy shrugs. 

 

Mitch looks to Kappy incredulously. “How do you lose to  _ William? _ ”

 

Kappy shrugs too. “I have bad luck.” 

 

“Wait, why does it matter that he lost a bet? Are you busy now, then?” Mitch questions. 

 

Willy opens his mouth, “well, actually, he promised me th—”

 

He’s interrupted when Kappy slaps a hand over his mouth. “We’ve talked about this. You can’t go around telling everyone about our sex life,” Kappy whispers harshly. 

 

Mitch groans and plugs his ears. “You guys are so gross. Go fuck or whatever, I’ll just make Jake stay behind and play me something.” 

 

“You sure you don’t want to know?” Will offers. “We’re best friends, so it really doesn’t matter what you know.”

 

Mitch shakes his head, making his way towards the piano. He waves Willy off, “the less I know, the less scarred I’ll be.”

 

By the time he makes it to the piano, Jake is still there. Everyone else has left and Mitch is glad he’s there; he wants a little more variety for music. 

 

“Can you stay for a little bit?” Mitch smiles pleadingly at Jake. 

 

Jake frowns, squinting at Mitch. 

 

“Please?” Mitch adds, begging Jake with his eyes. “I just want to practice a little more.”

 

Jake sighs, “fine. Only a little bit.”

 

“Thirty minutes?” Mitch wheedles. 

 

“Fifteen.” 

 

Mitch gasps, “that’s not enough, Jake. Twenty!”

 

Jake rolls his eyes. “Only for you Mitch,” he says with a fond smile. “What do you want today?”

 

Mitch hums. “Anything but that Phantom of the Opera crap. You play that too much during warm-ups.”

 

“Look, who’s staying behind and playing for you again?”

 

Mitch giggles and shrugs. “Whatever you want to play, Jake.”

 

He makes his way to the barre, grasping it firmly. He gives Jake a thumbs up. 

 

The music starts out slow, low piano notes ringing out into the room. Mitch hums, closing his eyes as he warms up his feet again, still in pointe shoes. It sounds like the music of a _pas de deux._

 

“What song is this? I’ve never heard you play it,” Mitch shouts, moving to the centre of the room to start on some of his pirouettes. 

 

“Mo likes it,” Jake says warmly, smiling unconsciously as he stares down at the keys. There’s a faint blush on his cheeks. 

 

Mitch cackles, “Mo, huh?” 

 

“Just keep dancing,” Jake scoffs. 

 

Mitch shrugs, focusing on keeping his back ramrod straight through the many  _ pirouettes  _ he has. He listens to the music a little longer, hearing the melody run through his bones. It is a nice song. Maybe he’d ask Jake what it was called and show it to Auston. 

 

There’s a knock at the door, stopping Mitch in his tracks. Jake plays on, giving zero shits. 

 

Mitch turns his head, finding JT peeking in. He’s got his backpack slung over one shoulder, but otherwise, he’s still in all his gear. 

 

“Mitch?” John asks, blinking owlishly. “What are you still doing here?” 

 

Mitch chuckles a little awkwardly, scratching his nape with a hand, “just wanted a little more practice. Wanted to be perfect, you know.” 

 

John straightens up, leaving his bag by the door. “Oh. Do you want to go over the partnering bits for the _pas de deux,_ then?”

 

Mitch blinks. Why not?

 

“Yeah, if you don’t mind. We’ve only got Jake for a few more minutes, so.” Mitch turns to Jake. “Please tell me you don’t mind playing the music from the pas de deux.” Mitch sends his cutest, widest, most imploring face. 

 

Jake sighs, shaking his head, his fingers never leaving the keys as the melody changes to the beginning notes of the _entrée._ Mitch smiles, waving JT on as he gets in position. 

 

***

 

Auston walks towards Mitch’s rehearsal room with a smile. He got a day off and bumped into Willy and Kappy on the way through the building. They told him that Mitch was still practicing by himself in their rehearsal room. Auston was glad that they helped him, but utterly confused as to why Kappy was so flushed. And squeaky. 

 

Okay, to be honest, Auston didn’t want to know anyways. 

 

The harmonious tune of the black swan adage drifts out into the hallway through the tiny crack of the open door. Auston hums along, thinking back to his days of Prince Siegfried and partnering with women. Ever since he got a chance to dance with Mitch, he’s re-thought the way he viewed his dancing partners. He enjoyed dancing more with Mitch, much more than the times he did with the smaller girls; it always seemed like they were too frail for Auston to put force in his holds. Mitch never seemed like he was going to break. 

 

The smile on Auston’s face grows bigger as he thinks about the beautiful lines of Mitch’s body as he dances. The taut, corded muscles of his back as he stretches into a pirouette. The elegance of his arms as he poses and jumps. The glittering expressions that exploits the full use of his eyelashes.

 

Auston might have a thing for Mitch’s ballet. A big thing that started from the minute he laid eyes on Mitch. Well, he thinks, maybe it’s just a Mitch thing.

 

He faintly knocks the door to the room open a little more. Auston is passably shocked when he sees JT in there with Mitch, but he guesses it’s to be expected. They are partnering after all. The thought makes Auston’s heart jump just a tiny bit in protest.

 

Auston seizes up a little when he sees John’s hands tighten on Mitch’s waist, showing Mitch off in a move very similar to the one in the Sugar Plum Fairy _pas de deux._ One that he and Mitch have performed many, many times. 

 

He sees the stunning shape of Mitch’s body held so perfectly in his various  _ renversés  _ and  _ é _ _ paulements. _ His legs are long, arms extended. Mitch’s expressions look so coy, so deceitful and seductive. It’s tough, seeing it directed at someone else even if Auston knows it’s only acting. Mitch is a terrific actor. 

 

And it goes on and on and on, the dancing between Mitch and JT is  _ gorgeous  _ to say the least. JT supports Mitch so perfectly, bestowing all the deserved attention on Mitch and showing Mitch off. He knows how much support he needs to give Mitch for lifts, supports, and everything in between. Auston knows the chemistry between them is crazy, has heard of it from Kyle Dubas, Babs, and even Freddie. 

 

He’s not jealous. He’s not. 

 

But then, they finish the _pas de deux_ —or at least the part they’re willing to practice. (Auston doesn’t think Mitch is going to try to do thirty-two more _pirouettes_ in a row.) And Mitch smiles up at John, presumably thanking him for taking the time to dance with him, cheeks so flushed and sweat dripping down his brow. He looks so normal; Auston’s so  _ used _ to seeing that sweet, warm smile directed at him. And then, JT smiles back, looking sincere as opposed to his normal serious demeanor. He says something that Auston can’t hear, something that makes Mitch  _ blush. _ And, of course, Mitch trips, over his pointe shoes, and JT catches him with his stupidly muscled arms. And Auston can’t take it anymore. 

 

“Mitch?” Auston calls out. He doesn’t want to sound angry, but there’s a hint of it that makes it out. 

 

Mitch whips his head, stil in  _ John’s arms,  _ and his eyes widen. He vaults free from John, an embarrassed expression on his face. JT is left confused, still holding his arms out.

 

“Auston!” Mitch exclaims, running up towards him.                

 

“What are you doing?” Auston questions, concerned. 

 

Mitch laughs nervously, glancing back at JT absentmindedly, “just practicing, you know.”

 

“I could’ve helped,” Auston frowns, knocking Mitch a little with a shoulder.

 

Mitch raises an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with JT?”

 

“I just… don’t like seeing the two of you all close and stuff,” Auston mumbles, eyes darting away from Mitch’s gaze.

 

Mitch’s eyes widen again and JT blushes. 

 

“No, no way, we’re just colleagues!” Mitch blurts out. 

 

“I swear to god, I do not have a thing for Mitch,” JT says at the same time. 

 

The cover to the piano slams shut, banging loudly and making Auston and Mitch jump. Jake hurriedly gathers all his sheet music and says, “this is beyond my pay grade. You guys have fun figuring stuff out, I gotta go catch Mo.”

 

The room is silent as everyone watches Jake leave, following his figure with distracted eyes. The voices start back up again as soon as he’s out the door.

 

“You know I only like you! And your ballet? Fucking awesome, man. Not that JT isn’t good, I just like you better. Oh no, that’s kinda mean, isn’t it?” Mitch blabbers.

 

“I don’t do ballet dancers; it’s too much sometimes,” JT explains. 

 

Auston stands there, looking at the two people tripping over themselves just to diffuse the situation. 

 

“Okay,” Auston drawls out. “It’s cool.”

 

Mitch sighs, his whole body relaxing in relief. He perks up again. “Wait. If John doesn’t do ballet dancers, who’s he into?”

 

Auston looks at Mitch, intrigued. “You’re right, Mitchy.” He looks to John with a questioning gaze. “John?”

 

“Uh,” John says intelligently. Mitch and John both stare at him, incessant. “It’s, uh, Nazem Kadri.” 

 

Mitch nods sagely, happy to get an answer from him. Auston hums. He doesn’t think he knows the person, but it does sound familiar. Nazem Kadri. Who is Nazem Kadri?

 

Wait. 

 

“Nazem Kadri?” Mitch and Auston shout at the same time. 

 

“The  _ Toronto Maple Leaf? _ ” Mitch asks in disbelief. 

 

JT looks at them, confused. “Yes?”

 

Auston would’ve crumpled to the floor if it wasn’t for Mitch catching him.

 

***

 

Mitch always dances his heart out on the stage. He gets nervous the days leading up to the big shows, but once he’s in the wings, ready to perform, everything melts away. At that point, he  _ enjoys _ being there. He feels calm and ready, ready to dazzle the audience and show them what ballet truly is. 

 

It was always fun to perform, despite how mangled his feet ended up each day. Having Willy and Kappy there as a support system helped; they were always together. 

 

Mitch feels like he danced his best ballet that season, even with the character expression debacle. JT and he truly had great chemistry. It showed in the fluid transitions and careful lifts they performed together on stage. If Mitch is going to be honest, he wouldn’t mind waiting just a couple of years to be the Sugar Plum Fairy. 

 

“Aw yeah, Mitchy! Fucking killed it out there!” Willy yells in his ear, hugging him tight in their dressing room. 

 

“Yeah, Will,” Mitch yells back. “Here’s to next year!” 

 

They clumsily clink their water bottles together, desperate for hydration after all the physical activity. 

 

There’s a buzz coming from Mitch’s bag. He smiles, knowing it’s a text message from Auston. He was in the audience that afternoon for the last show of Swan Lake for the season. 

 

They’re still laughing and celebrating together, drunk off of the adrenaline of performing and the awed atmosphere of the audience. There’s a knock at the door of their dressing room, startling Mitch and Willy away from screaming like crazy. 

 

Mitch looks over, and blushes when he sees it’s Kyle Dubas. He feels bad for Willy; this is the second time he’s acted like an idiot in front of him. 

 

“Mitch and William?” Kyle says, staring at the two of them with an amused smile. 

 

“Yes, Mr. Dubas?” Mitch answers for them both, sharing an alarmed look with Willy.

 

“You two did great out there today,” Kyle smiles. “But, Mitch, I just wanted to let you know that the directors know you’ve got wonderful technique and that Odile may not have been the style of character that you wanted to perform. So, next season, the Sugar Plum Fairy is open. If you’d like, we could talk about you dancing the role.”

 

Mitch stares at Kyle, eyes wide. “Of course, Mr. Dubas! I’m down for it!” 

 

Kyle laughs, turning to leave. “Okay, Mitch. I’ll be in touch then.”

 

Mitch turns to Willy, shocked. He mouths to him silently,  _ “what the fuck just happened?” _

 

Willy shrugs, equally stunned. 

 

“Oh! William? We’ll be in touch with you, too. Big things are coming,” Kyle smiles. Willy nods dumbly. 

 

Kyle leaves them both with a chuckle, waving goodbye cheerfully. 

 

“Holy shit,” Willy whispers, dropping into his chair. 

 

Mitch does the same and exhales. “Yeah.”

 

He reaches into his bag, his hands shaking. He takes out his phone and smiles. 

 

_ Austonnn, 5:13PM _

_ great job out there, sugar plum fairy _

**Author's Note:**

> so thats it for marnthews. mitch finally gets what hes been dreaming for! wow.
> 
> anyways, i hope you guys enjoyed this fic. if you liked it, please leave a kudos. and if you really liked it, leave a comment down below. tell all your friends and come yell with me on tumblr [@mitcheemarns](www.mitcheemarns.tumblr.com/).


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